Joint Agency Staff Report on Assembly Bill 126: 2025 Annual Assessment of the Hydrogen Refueling Network in California

The Joint Agency Staff Report on Assembly Bill 126: 2025 Annual Assessment of the Hydrogen Refueling Network in California, is prepared in accordance with Assembly Bill 126 (Reyes, Chapter 319, Statutes of 2023), which directs the California Energy Commission (CEC) and California Air Resources Board (CARB) to jointly report on progress toward establishing a hydrogen-fueling network that provides coverage and capacity for vehicles requiring hydrogen fuel.

As of September 2, 2025, CEC’s Clean Transportation Program invested $174 million in light-duty hydrogen infrastructure, and 50 stations were open to the public. An additional 11 stations were temporarily non-operational, having been offline for at least 30 days. Due to maintenance issues, equipment failures, and hydrogen supply disruptions, the network’s average availability over the past year was approximately 60 percent.

Despite these challenges, the average availability of the network can serve approximately 34,300 fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Hydrogen Station Capacity Evaluation (HySCapE) Tool. This capacity is twice the fueling needs of the 14,128 light-duty FCEVs registered in California as of April 2025. However, while statewide fueling capacity exceeds demand, FCEV registrations are concentrated in areas such as San Francisco and Sacramento, where fueling access has declined.

Looking ahead, 51 additional stations are planned using CEC and private funding. By 2030, station developers forecast 112 stations, estimated to support up to 167,300 light-duty FCEVs. While this is nearly 10 times the number of vehicles auto manufacturers expect registered in California by 2028, this expanded capacity is intended to support future growth, improve regional access, and ensure network reliability as the market for FCEVs evolves.

As of July 2025, the CEC has also allocated nearly $120 million for medium- and heavy-duty hydrogen stations. Combined with public and private funding, California has 13 stations and 42 more planned.